EuroCommerce, the European organisation representing the retail and wholesale sector, has recognised the Jerónimo Martins Group’s Incluir Programme as the best project in the “skills” category in the first edition of the “Future of European Commerce Awards”. The Group also had finalist projects in the other three award categories.
Launched in 2015, the Incluir Programme gives disadvantaged people access to the job market, in particular people with disabilities, migrants and refugees, and people at social risk. The Programme follows an innovative training and development methodology, tailored to each trainee and adapted to the functions available within each of the Jerónimo Martins Group’s business areas.
According to Susana Correia de Campos, Director of Labour Relations at the Jerónimo Martins Group and responsible for the Social Inclusion area, “this important recognition demonstrates that the Jerónimo Martins Group is at the forefront of its sector in Europe as a benchmark employer focused on social inclusion through employability, something of which we are very proud”.
Since its launch, the Incluir Programme has already provided more than 1,200 job opportunities and directly led to the hiring – by the Group and its Companies in Portugal – of more than 600 people. The programme currently has 700 in-house mentors and over 80 partners specialising in the different areas of social inclusion participating in the programme, with a total of 500 workplaces currently involved.
The success of the Programme is the embodiment of several good practices, such as the innovative training and development methodology; an in-house technical team specialising in rehabilitation and integration into society and working life, which is responsible for the entire recruitment, training, development and monitoring process throughout the trainee’s/employee’s journey; and the implementation of “leadership that makes a difference” training, created specifically to train the organisation’s leaders to embrace difference.
The most visible component of the Incluir Programme is the two Incluir Centres that the Group has at the service of the community, one in Lisbon and the other in Porto. At these centres, which are dedicated to onboarding, recruitment and adapted training, trainees go through two phases: the first, in the classroom, with training in behavioural and relational skills and simulation tasks in an area of the Centre where a simulation store has been set up; and the second, involving on-the-job training, with the support of tutors – employees responsible for monitoring and developing each trainee in the workplace – and the Inclusion team. After successfully completing these two phases, trainees will be ready to be employed by the Group companies.
In July 2023, the Jerónimo Martins Group’s inclusion policies were recognised by the Institute of Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP), awarding the Group’s holding company and Recheio Cash & Carry the distinction of 2023 Inclusive Employer Brand, the former for the second time and the latter for the first time.
The first edition of the Future of European Commerce Awards recognised the merits of a chamber of commerce and three retail and wholesale groups in the categories of “digitalisation”, “skills”, “community engagement” and “sustainability”. The “skills” category honours initiatives that promote workforce development, diversity and inclusion, and entrepreneurship. The Jerónimo Martins Group competed with four projects. All of them made it to the final in their respective categories and the Incluir Programme won the “skills” award.
The jury comprised seven members, including the President of EuroCommerce, the Vice-President of the European Parliament, the Director of the European Commission's DG Grow, the Director General of the European Consumer's Organisation, and a director of the WWF.
More information about these awards can be found at eurocommerce.eu/future-of-european-commerce-awards-2023/
More information about the Include Programme is available at https://www.jeronimomartins.com/en/careers/inclusion/incluir-programme/